Northern MP wants independent inquiry into how Ottawa protest 'morphed' into occupation

One northern MP wants to see an inquiry into what went wrong in Ottawa that allowed a protest convoy against vaccine mandates to occupy the downtown streets for three weeks.

Timmins James Bay MP Charlie Angus was living in Ottawa during the three week occupation, but has since returned home to northern Ontario.

He called the occupation 'a circus' and 'a debacle from the beginning'. He said Canadians are allowed to protest, but in this case something went wrong, as the protest 'morphed'into an occupation.

"To have to see that many police come in to clear this out showed how deeply entrenched this had become," Angussaid.

"I think when people saw how many police were needed to actually clear this out and it was extraordinary, the whole nation was spellbound watching it you realize that this was something that had started out as protests, but had morphed into something different, and I think more concerning."

During the occupation, Angus himself received death threats, and was warned several times by security not to go out due to threats to his safety.

He said he was especially concerned for the residents who live in the affectedOttawa neighbourhood since they were threatened, harassed, and bullied by protestors. As well, many of thesmall businessesin the area were forced to shut down during the occupation.

Answers needed

"I think what really concerns me is: how did we get to this moment where Canada has looked like a failed state on the stage of the world," Angussaid.

"We really need an inquiry coming out of this. The failure at the local police level, the civic level, the provincial level and the federal level, that allowed this situation to metastasize and become so polarizing and so divisive for our country," Angus said.

"Something went really off here and I think we need the inquiry an independent inquiry not run by politicians but an independent inquiry to try to get some answers so that Canadians understand what happened and how we ended up in this place of such division."

Angus thinks an inquiry will also help any future groups that plan to protest on Parliament Hill.

"I want to reassure people that the right to protest is good."

"I don't want any other protesters to have to worry that they're going to be arrested if they come and protest," he said.

Emergencies Act passed

After a weekend of debating in the House of Commons, Angus and his fellow New Democrats supported the Liberals in passing the Emergencies Act, Monday night.

That act, invoked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Feb. 14, provided police with the extra resources and powers to remove the protestors.

Between Friday and Sunday this past weekend ,191 arrests were made, resulting in 389 charges against 103 people. As well, 79 vehicles were towed away from the Ottawa downtown streets.

On Monday morning, during a news conference, Trudeausaid the decision to invoke the never-before-used act did not comelightly.

"It became clear that local and provincial authorities needed more tools to restore order and keep people safe," Trudeautold the media.

"Even though things seem to be resolving very well in Ottawa, this state of emergency is not over," he said. Anumber of people connected with the protests remainin the nation's capital.

The Emergencies Act states that it cannot be in force for more than 30 days, meaning it will remain in place until mid-March at the latest.

That will allow the government time to deal with any other event or protest that could crop up elsewhere in Canada, similar to the one that blocked the Ambassador bridge in Windsor; and to determine where funding for the occupation may have come from.

Angus said he plans to hold the Prime Minister accountable, and wants Trudeau to show what progress the measures have resulted inwithin seven days.

"These are tools we never want to have to use again, and once you've opened this Pandora's box, of course, it becomes very easy for a future government to use these tools."